I love American history, French films, Italian food, and English writers.
This is where I keep track of films that I've watched and blurb what I thought about them.
I also write a blog about books: Every Book and Cranny
MY FILM RATING SCALE
******* 7/7: Brilliant, All-time Favorite
****** 6/7: Pretty Damn Good
*****5/7: Mostly enjoyable
****4/7: Mildly Enjoyable
*** 3/7: Okay, Watchable
** 2/7: Mostly unenjoyable
* 1/7: Unwatchable, couldn't finish
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Wow. I had mistakenly written Chaplin off as too overtly slapstick for my tastes, but this film proved me wrong. Way wrong. So beautiful. Chaplin is credited not only with starring in the film but also as the film’s director, producer, screenwriter, and he composed the music himself. The song that is played at the end was later given lyrics and became known as “Smile,” first recorded by Nat King Cole and later by a host of others.
Modern Times (1936)
Director : Charlie Chaplin
Starring : Chaplin, Paulette Goddard
My Rating : ******* 7 / 7
My favorite of Hitchcock’s British / pre-American films. I’ve watched this film a handful of times but re-watched it last weekend as I’ve just acquired Criterion’s newly released blu-ray edition. Well worth it! The sound quality and images are much improved from the previous edition I own.
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
Director : Alfred Hitchcock
Starring : Margaret Lockwood, Dame May Whitty
My Rating : ******* 7 / 7
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Director : Alfred Hitchcock
Starring : Grace Kelly, Tom Wendice
My Rating : ******* 7 / 7
Based on a play by Tennessee Williams
Baby Doll (1956)
Director : Elia Kazan
Starring : Karl Malden, Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach
My Rating : ****** 6 / 7
Based on a play by Tennessee Williams
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Director : Elia Kazan
Starring : Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter
My Rating : ******* 7 / 7
I could watch this everyday.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Director : Martin Scorsese
Starring : Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, Jodie Foster
My Rating : ******* 7 / 7
Splendor in the Grass (1961)
Director : Elia Kazan
Starring : Natalie Wood, Warren Beatty
My Rating : ******* 7 / 7
This just never gets old.
A Christmas Story (1983)
Director : Bob Clark
Starring : Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin
My Rating : ******* 7 / 7
The Princess Bride (1987)
Director : Rob Reiner
Starring : Robin Wright, Cary Elwes
My Rating : ******* 7 / 7
This is the only rendition worth watching, in my opinion.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Director : George Seaton
Starring : Natalie Wood, Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O’Hara
My Rating : ****** 6 / 7
Way. Too. Long
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Director : Billy Wilder
Starring : Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis
My Rating : ***** 5 / 7
My first Kurosawa. I loved this story of friendship - so beautiful.
Dersu Uzala (1975)
Language : Russian
Director : Akira Kurosawa
Starring : Maksim Munzuk, Yuri Solomin
My Rating : ******* 7 / 7
